I havn't bagged so many, I'm actually very optimistic about most of our young players, it's just when some of our most experienced players seem to play for stats and don't do enough of the team things and get listed in our best players.
Stevens was in no need of a gallop any more than Judd. Betts should thank Judd for his goal from the goal square, watch how Judd getts in, blocks out 2 Rchmond defenders and makes a path for Betts, this is the sort of team stuff that Stevens and Houlihan have never done, you don't need game time to do that, it's football smarts which Stevens and Houlihan have but don't use because it requirs them to put thier body on the line.
So many times i've seen Stevens give a short hand pass or kick to a player under some pressure run around the back of the player to get it back (collecting stats), when he could of put his body on the line and sheppard to give his team mate a clear path to run the line or give him time to get rid of it with less pressure.


Thanks SparkyBlue for the welcome, yes I've been folowing TC for a while, love reading the post's. Had a bit of time today so I thought I would finally add my 2 cents worth.

just on gibbs ...

why aren't we using him in that qtr back type role instead of the usual cast of dud suspects? why is it that we decide that role is for the "experienced" (ie bully) campaigner who really just can't be flowered manning up (think campo, scotland et al ...)

hawks allowed hodge to find his feet and gain confidence in that role and look at the benefits (remember all the back-whipping when they realised they had passed on judd for a fat, lazy brat??)

at the moment gibbs doesn't seem to appreciate the body contact stuff. let's get real about this. BUT, is he a squib, as opposition supporters are delighting in saying? i say, at this stage, who cares!!!!! it's not a friggin sprint but a marathon!!!!!!! let him find his feet AND be damaging, they're not mutually exclusive.

arguably thomas is a squib. arguably pendelbury is a squib ... BUT they are hurting the opposition cos they're being utilised intelligently, or cunningly!!!!

so, let's also be clever about this and rather than try to force him to be an inside midfielder before his time, or whatever the hell we are doing with him, why not use him to some sort of advantage?

i believe he would be a far a more disciplined and effective qtr-back than either scotland or thornton. he wouldn't dance around in circles wrong-footing team mates like scotland (what happened to pagan's no U-turn rule), nor would he totally fluff possesion like thornton who looks like he's on some sort of sunday picnic stroll through the botanical gardens about to kick to a mate while allowing his nephew to smother.

i don't wanna see gibbs get 7 possies with 85% efficiency. i would prefer to see him get, for now, 23 possies with 65% efficiency.

i may be totally neurotic but i don't believe it's a co-incidence that our ball-butchers, eg carrazzo, are constantly un-manned. it's as though the opposition are allowing it cos they reckon it works to their advantage. why not start to get things played on our terms and use guys like gibbs to our advantage?

a well organised defence would hate, among other things:

a) unpredictability - unfortunately we don't have that jezza-ablett-daicos type who creates something out of nothing ...

b) on-coming pace - something we seem to be working towards with judd, stevens, simmo etc

c) 50 metre bullet kicks to forward leading into space. do we have anyone that can do this a-la hodge? i reckon gibbs can. perhaps griggs too??

_________________
... an eagle flew out of the night. he was something to observe, came in close i heard a voice, bending stretching every nerve, had to listen had no choice ...

Any forward structure will do me.


The ease with which opposition defenders clear the ball from our forward line is comical.

_________________
"I had to eat"

We're stuffed.
Apparently Hartlett's no good.

Nor is -

Eddie, Jake, Jacko, Carrots, PB, Fev, Stevo, Hoops, Jamo, Banno and Carlos.
Ratts has no plan B, we get our recruiters from homeless shelters and Wayne Hughes killed Bambi.

...but we're not overreacting.

_________________
Looking forward to seeing our potential realised.

A little concerned....yeas

Bambi....really!

Homeless shelters....

_________________
They coud'nt.....could they?

At least he didn't kill B I N G O or Willy!!

_________________
Mjonc signing off at 8888

I was happy with Gibbs game last night - what 16 or so possessions, played in a variety of roles and even in the middle on Foley for a time.

_________________
This type of slight is alien in the more cultured part of the world - Walsh. Its up there with mad dogs, Englishmen and the midday sun!

To much variety for my liking and Foley wasnt an ideal opponent with his leg speed....I'd like to see him settled in a position and let develop rather than being a spare parts troubleshooter...wasnt happy with a mark he dropped in the corridor either.

_________________
"When you have the attitude of a champion, you see adversity as your
training partner."
- Conor Gillen

Exactly.

Let Gibbs settle. He is too inexperienced to troubleshoot.

I would like to see Gibbs on the HFF or a wing.

_________________
They coud'nt.....could they?

We have a couple of stars, a heap of kids and a few guys who wouldn't get a game anywhere else. Results like this are going to happen until the kids take the next step. Anyone who thinks otherwise is either impatient or completely deluded.

I was actually quite encouraged by some of the play we put together in the 1st half but we just couldn't sustain it. Few more K's in the legs for Stevens and Judd and a bit more experience with the new game plan will do wonders.

BTW Gibbs will be an incredible footballer that will be underrated by opposition fans his entire career because he's not flashy enough.